ODESA, JULY, 22nd, 2009, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE – Spetsdorstroytekhnika LTD [specialized road building equipment] – the tender winner for the construction of the dam on the Bystroye Channel is to start works this week, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

The agency was informed about it today, 22 July, at the press-service of Odesa Merchant Sea Port.

According to the press-service, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine acknowledged the tender held by GE Delta-Pilot for building a dam on the Bystroye Channel disputed by the losing parties.

12 July the winner of the tender was announced – it was Spetsdorstroytekhnika LTD. The contractor undertook to fulfil the entire volume of works during 130 days.

“The works will start this week already. But there are a number of problems except the widening of the channel. The problems concern widening of the ports and renewal of the infrastructure that has practically been destroyed”, — Alexander Golodnitsky, President of GE Delta-Pilot said.

Supposed the widening of the Channel will increase the volume of cargoes transported along the river 2,5 times. After the discussion held with Romania the construction if the Channel and its widening will help increase total volume of the transshipments through Ukrainian ports by 120 – 140 million USD annually, experts believe.

Vladimir Kozak, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee for Transport and Communications stated the importance of the Danube River as navigation artery increased after the European Commission had adopted its directive concerning navigation on the river.